Bone Regeneration and Repair: Biology and Clinical Applications

Abstract

The editors of this book have aimed to provide the currently available information regarding the biology of bone formation and repair to review the basic science of autologous bone graft, skeletal allograft, bone graft substitutes and growth factors and to explore the clinical applications of these technologies. They have brought together the expertise of 42 contributors, predominantly from orthopaedics with the majority from the US but also including colleagues from Germany and France. In addition, there is more diverse input from the fields of research and development, bone tissue engineering, periodontics, molecular genetics and biochemistry, and oncology. This, indeed, is an outstanding group who have thoughtfully and skilfully set down each in their own way the current knowledge in this exciting area. At the outset, it is recognised that bone is unique in its inherent capability to regenerate completely without scar tissue formation and that this characteristic is central to skeletal homeostasis, fracture repair and bone graft incorporation. However, it is noted in the preface that this regenerative capacity may be altered or damaged to such an extent that the disturbed pattern of repair may present difficult challenges such as fracture non-union, lost bone stock supporting total joint arthroplasties and periodontal disease, which often frustrate our efforts in the clinical field. The 18 chapters review the biology of bone formation and repair, the basic science of autologous bone grafting, allografts, recombinant proteins and other bone-graft substitutes together with growth factors before moving on to explore the clinical applications in patients with bone-repair problems. The book is carefully set out, taking the reader through the most recent work in this rapidly advancing field with comprehensive references concluding each chapter. There is also a skilfully prepared index. Inevitably, in such a text with self-contained chapters there is an element of duplication. Nevertheless, this is helpful for the reader who wishes to dip in and out of areas of individual interest. It is generally well presented on quality paper although for some reason colour versions of all the monochrome illustrations in the main body of the text are brought together in a separate section two-thirds of the way through. This cutting-edge review of the biology of bone formation and repair with a glimpse of the clinical applications will be of value to practising clinicians and basic scientists as well as senior surgical trainees, who must ensure that they have a firm grasp of the latest developments in the basic clinical sciences.